Chapter Twenty-Three: The Master of Technology

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Zhao Chen’s gaze swept over the lifeless computer, his eyes instantly sharpening and cooling, much like an experienced doctor examining a critically ill patient. He set down the black metal toolbox and smoothly unclasped it.

Inside, the toolbox was intricately organized, layers of tools gleaming with a metallic chill—delicate, precise screwdriver sets, probes with magnifying lenses, oddly shaped interface converters, and several chip-sized components sealed in anti-static bags. The entire kit exuded professionalism, austerity, and efficiency, a stark contrast to his usual gentle, homely demeanor!

Curious and respectful, his colleagues watched intently, even Xiao Mei held her breath.

Zhao Chen ignored their gazes. With practiced ease, he unplugged every external cable from the computer, then held the sides of the chassis, locating a hidden latch. With a soft “click,” the side panel popped off effortlessly. His movements were so skilled, it was as if dismantling a toy handled countless times.

The interior of the chassis was revealed. Zhao Chen’s eyes scanned like the most precise scanner over the motherboard, power supply, memory sticks, hard drives... His long, steady fingers picked up a magnetic precision screwdriver from the toolbox, moving so fast it left a blur! Unscrewing, unplugging slots, inspecting interfaces—every action was precise, swift, and without hesitation! His focused expression, thin lips pressed lightly, and the cold, surgical sharpness gleaming in his eyes reminded Yu Ling once again of the man she’d seen commanding life and death over the phone on the balcony.

The overwhelming contrast shook her deeply! This was no mere “computer savvy” — this was the demeanor of a top-tier engineer!

Within three minutes, Zhao Chen stopped. His fingertip pointed precisely to an inconspicuous capacitor near the power module. “Here. The capacitor is burnt out, short-circuited. It likely caused damage to the motherboard’s power supply and hard drive interface,” he said, calm and authoritative.

“So... the data on the hard drive...” Yu Ling’s voice trembled, her heart in her throat.

“The hard drive itself probably isn’t physically damaged. The main issue is that the interface protection and data pathways were interrupted by an abnormal current surge.”

As he spoke, Zhao Chen swiftly retrieved a peculiar, palm-sized black metal cube from the box. One end had multiple ports; the other featured a USB-C connector. He connected the cube to the hard drive’s data interface, then plugged the other end into the thin silver laptop he had brought.

The laptop powered on, its screen lighting up with a deep black background like the night sky, only a simple command line window floating above.

Zhao Chen’s fingers flew across the keyboard at a dizzying speed! White lines of code cascaded down the black terminal like a waterfall!

So fast that Yu Ling couldn’t make out what he typed, only a blur of white flickering. His focused profile, furrowed brow, and the fluid, effortless rhythm of his silent keystrokes displayed absolute mastery, stunning Yu Ling once more! His speed and presence were even more formidable than when he had “helped a friend optimize a small script” before.

The entire office fell silent. Everyone held their breath, watching this breathtaking high-tech operation unfold.

Time ticked by. Yu Ling’s palms were sweaty as she stared unblinking at Zhao Chen’s screen and the black cube connected to the hard drive.

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Suddenly, Zhao Chen’s fingers slammed down heavily on the Enter key. The cascading code instantly stopped.

He exhaled deeply, leaning back slightly in his chair, rubbing his brow with a trace of relief on his face. Then he swiped across the touchpad and opened a folder icon on the desktop.

To the astonishment of Yu Ling and the onlookers, inside the folder appeared the final version of the “Starsea Summary” PPT file and analysis report! The icons were clear and intact!

“All done,” Zhao Chen’s voice returned to its usual clear tone, tinged with relief. He turned to look at the tense, nearly suffocating Yu Ling beside him. His amber eyes reflected her shocked and ecstatic face. “All the files are here, none lost. The hard drive has physical bad sectors and can’t be used anymore. I’ve extracted all the data and copied it onto this USB drive.”

Like a magician, he pulled a brand-new, sleek silver metal USB stick from the toolbox, plugged it into the laptop, and rapidly operated the copy process.

Yu Ling stared at the familiar folder on the screen, then at the silver USB in Zhao Chen’s hand. Overwhelming joy crashed over her like a tidal wave, washing away all her fear and despair! She suddenly covered her mouth as tears surged forth again—this time tears of joy and immense relief!

“Th-thank you...” she choked, words tangled in emotion, barely able to stand.

After copying finished, Zhao Chen removed the USB stick, stood, and naturally reached out, gently pulling the trembling Yu Ling into his embrace. His arms were warm and strong, a comforting fortress.

“Don’t be silly, why are you crying?” His low voice whispered in her ear, tender and indulgent, with a hint of hidden concern. “With me here, the sky won’t fall.” His hand gently patted her back, soothing like calming a frightened child.

Yu Ling leaned against his warm chest, inhaling his familiar cedar scent, feeling his steady heartbeat and soft reassurances... The overwhelming despair and icy terror from moments ago were completely dispelled by this immense sense of safety!

The string of doubt that had been taut now subtly loosened, vibrating with a barely audible hum of relief.

She closed her eyes, surrendering to this long-lost, comforting embrace, her tears silently soaking through his shirt.

The surrounding colleagues watched the scene with mixed expressions—envy, surprise, and above all, a knowing clarity: no wonder Yu Ling managed to handle Director Lin, no wonder the project was revived, behind her stood an undisclosed “tech genius” husband!

Xiao Mei’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she whispered to someone nearby, “Did you see that? Sister Ling’s husband is so handsome! He’s like a real-life superhero, descending just when things get critical!”

Zhao Chen seemed oblivious to the chatter, focused solely on comforting the emotional Yu Ling. One hand patted her back while the other placed the life-saving silver USB stick into her cold palm, his fingertips warm.

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“Here, this is your lifeline,” he said playfully, trying to ease her tension. “Go get ready for the presentation; time’s almost up. Director Lin hates being late.”

Clutching the weighty USB stick that still carried his warmth, Yu Ling felt the strength and comfort of his embrace settle her turbulent heart. She looked up at Zhao Chen’s face close before her, his gentle smile and clear amber eyes filled with her reflection.

Fear and doubt, in the face of such overwhelming relief and solid support, retreated for now.

She nodded firmly, stepping out of his arms, tear-streaked but resolute. “Okay!”

Holding the USB, she briskly walked toward her workstation to copy the files before heading to the meeting room. Her steps were lighter than before.

Zhao Chen stood watching her straighten her back, a deeper smile in his eyes. He efficiently packed up his black toolbox and silver laptop, as if tidying away ordinary tools.

“Mr. Zhao, you’re amazing!” Xiao Mei couldn’t help but approach, full of admiration. “What kind of tools are those? And your coding speed... it was incredible!”

Zhao Chen smiled, picked up his toolbox, and replied casually, “Oh, this? It’s a data rescue tool developed by a friend’s company, a test version not yet released. I just... tinkered a bit, know the basics.” He shook the toolbox with a grin. “The tools just happen to be good.”

Again, it was a “friend.” Again, “just the basics.” Again, “the tools are good.”

Yu Ling paused slightly as she copied the files at her desk but didn’t look back. She stared at the familiar folder icon on the screen, her fingers tightly gripping the warm USB stick.

This time, the vines of doubt in her heart seemed to loosen under the surge of gratitude and trust. The man who had appeared like a deity at the critical moment, wielding unbelievable skill to save the day, and the cold, threatening figure on the phone tore at her heart fiercely. But in the end, the former’s light temporarily eclipsed the latter’s shadow.

Maybe... he really just “knows the basics”? Maybe the “friend’s” tool was just that good?

She took a deep breath, unplugged the USB, straightened her back, and headed toward the meeting room. No matter what, he had helped her through this crisis. That debt of gratitude and the present sense of security were undeniable. As for the unfathomable mysteries... perhaps they could be set aside, at least for now?